LONDON :New Zealand coach Scott Robertson has defended his team’s pre-match haka after England prop Joe Marler stoked up the tension ahead of Saturday’s Twickenham clash by saying it was “ridiculous and needs binning”.
Marler, who is not involved in Saturday’s match and has left the England camp for personal reasons, posted his comments on social media on Tuesday, briefly deleted his account and then reinstated it, saying he had been trying to “stoke interest”.
Asked about the comments after naming his team on Thursday, Robertson said: “I know Joe. I wonder if he wishes he could have articulated himself a little bit better on that.
“The haka for us is a custom. It is part of who we are, our DNA. You can welcome somebody, it is for celebrations, for joy, and also for challenge and we use it as a challenge.
“We believe it is a great tradition of rugby, as it is for all Pacific nations,” Robertson added. “It honours where they have come from. It is not just about the All Blacks, it is about us as a country. It means a lot to us.”
World Rugby regulations limit how close opposition teams can stand when facing the haka, and England were fined for getting too near before the 2019 World Cup semi-final in Japan, as were France before the 2011 final in New Zealand.
Asked if he felt teams should be able to respond to the challenge on the pitch, Robertson said: “Obviously, it’s a respect thing.
“The crowd enjoy it, don’t they? It is a special occasion. Some clap, some put a plane over the top. Whatever it is, there is a lot of meaning behind it and it’s got to be meaningful and respectful.”
Robertson described England’s 2019 response as “awesome and respectfully done” and home captain Jamie George said he disagreed with Marler’s take when asked his opinion on Thursday.
“I really enjoy it, I enjoyed watching it, I love the history of it and I’ve been lucky enough to face it a few times,” said the hooker.
“I’ve got a pretty good understanding of what New Zealand and Maori culture is. I have friends from the Pacific Islands who have explained to me what it’s all about, that it’s a challenge that you lay down. It’s a brilliant part of the game and a great spectacle.”
Twickenham crowds traditionally try to drown out the haka’s war cries with a rendition of their “Swing Low” anthem and George predicted the latest exchange would only add to a “brilliant atmosphere” on Saturday.
“I guess he (Marler) has sort of prodded the bear a little bit,” he said, adding when asked if England had anything up their sleeves this time: “We’ll have a little chat about it, but yeah, there might be something.”
